New York City Hall
What to watch for this week in New York politics:
Mayor Bill de Blasio started his post-presidential campaign mayoralty on Friday, and continues it this week, which could set the tone for how he will approach his final two years, three months, and several days. The mayor jumped into several local public appearances on Friday and Saturday, before having no public events on his Sunday schedule. A potentially consequential legislative push by de Blasio enters a new phase Monday as the City Council hears two bills that would create a private-sector retirement-savings program. De Blasio will participate in a rally in support of creating such a program on Monday morning at City Hall, just ahead of the Council hearing.
Governor Andrew Cuomo will talk politics with former New Jersey Governor Christ Christie at Christie's new Seton Hall institute in a conversation between two men who were close allies as neighbor governors that should be interesting.
Essentially for both de Blasio and Cuomo, the MTA Board will on Wednesday vote on the new five-year, $55 billion capital program to update subway signals, buy new train cars, and much more. There has been very little time for Board members, the public, and watchdogs to review the plan ahead of this week's vote. De Blasio has said almost nothing about the capital plan, which Cuomo and the MTA are asking de Blasio's administration to contribute $3 billion in city money to, as it was being crafted and since an overview of the draft plan was released this past week.
It's a very busy week at the City Council, with important oversight hearings (such as on standardized testing in schools) and legislative hearings (such as on the plan to create a private-sector retirement-savings program for city workers), as well as a full-body Stated Meeting at which bills that have passed committee are voted through the full Council and new bills are introduced to the body.
And that's not all. President Donald Trump will be in the city this week as he addresses the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. There's a lot happening this week, with many events to be aware of -- see our day-by-day rundown below.
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The run of the week in detail:
Monday, September 23
On Monday, the United Nations will continue to meet in New York City. The UN Secretary-General will convene a special Climate Summit, and the UNGA will hold a one-day high-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie will be in Rochester Monday for several events as part of his ongoing annual state tour.
The MTA's monthly Board committee meetings will take place Monday.
On Monday morning at 10 a.m. at City Hall, "Mayor de Blasio will deliver remarks at a rally for retirement security...In the evening, Mayor de Blasio will meet with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte" in a closed press event. In the 7 and 11 p.m. hours, "Mayor de Blasio will appear on NY1’s Inside City Hall...Afterward, the Mayor will attend the launch party for Stephanie Ruhle’s new podcast “Modern Ruhles.”"
The 2019 NYC Employment and Training Coalition( NYCETC) Conference will be held at the CUNY Graduate Center starting at 9 a.m. Monday. Speakers include Wes Moore, CEO of Robin Hood Foundation, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Borough Presidents Eric Adams, Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Gale Brewer, among many others through a full day of speeches, panels, and seminars.
At the City Council on Monday:
--At 10 a.m., the Committee on Housing and Buildings will meet on three bills including one that would ban outdoor advertisements of alcoholic beverages near school areas.
--At 10:30 a.m., the Committee on Civil Service and Labor will meet to discuss two bills to establish a retirement savings program for private-sector employeesto establish a retirement savings program for private-sector employees.
--At 11 a.m., the Committee on Land Use meet on several pieces of legislation.
--At 1 p.m., the Committee on Contracts will hold a hearing on a bill that would reduce apprenticeship program directive requirements.
--At 1 p.m., the Committee on Environmental Protection will hold an oversight hearing on protecting health through improving air quality.
At 10:30 a.m. Monday morning, WNYC radio’s The Brian Lehrer Show will air a discussion of what’s next for Mayor de Blasio after he’s dropped his presidential bid and returns to be mayor full-time for the next two-plus years, featuring WNYC’s Brigid Bergin and Gotham Gazette’s Ben Max.
At 11 a.m. Monday, schools Chancellor Richard Carranza will make “an announcement about instruction” at MS 88 in Brooklyn.
At 2 p.m. Monday at City Hall, “First Lady McCray and Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams will make an announcement regarding hurricane relief for the Bahamas.”
At 4:45 p.m. Monday, City Comptroller Scott Stringer will tour Jacob Riis Early Childhood Center with State Senator Brad Hoylman.
At 5:30 p.m. Monday, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams will join the "United In Outrage: Resistance March" to protest the Trump administration ahead of the President's arrival to New York City to speak at the United Nations General Assembly.
At 6:30 p.m. Monday, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will co-sponsor a forum on the New York Health Act, at Hartley House.
Tuesday, September 24
Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day.
President Trump will be among the world leaders to address the United Nations on Tuesday.
At the City Council on Tuesday:
--At 10 a.m., the Committee on Women and Gender Equity and the Committee on General Welfare will jointly meet on several bills.
--At 1 p.m., the Committee on Education will hold an oversight hearing on “Breaking Testing Culture: Evaluating multiple pathways to determine student mastery.”
--At 1 p.m., the Committee on Transportation will meet to discuss a legislation corresponding to off-hour deliveries at city facilities.
--At 2 p.m., the Committee on Civil and Human Rights will meet to discuss a bill that would prohibit conversion therapy services.
At 11 a.m. Tuesday, the Senate Standing Committee on Investigations and Government Operations, the Assembly Standing Committee on Governmental Operations, and the Assembly Legislative Commission on Government Administration will jointly hold a public hearing on New York State’s response to federal government shutdowns.
Regional Plan Association will host a panel titled “New York 2050: Meeting our Energy Goals,” focusing on the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Panelists include Dale Bryk, Dep. Secretary for Governor Office of Energy & Environment, Susanne DesRoches, Dep. Dir. Infrastructure + Energy at NYC Mayor's Office of Recovery & Resiliency & Office of Sustainability, Clint Plummer, Head of Market Strategies & New Projects -US at Ørsted and Juan Parra, Community Solar Program Manager at SolarOne.
City & State NY will hold its Rebuilding New York Summit involving “discussions that dissect the biggest infrastructure issues, including funding for repairs, policy recommendations, and where the city and state has seen its biggest successes and shortcomings,” at Baruch College, CUNY from 9 to 4 p.m. Tuesday. Speakers will include Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, State Senator Todd Kaminsky, City Council Members Alicka Ampry-Samuel and Ydanis Rodriguez, and Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton, among many others.
At 3 p.m. Tuesday, the Open Society Foundation will host Building Power: Women’s Leadership in the Fight for Justice, Democracy, and Fair Work. Speakers will include Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation; Liz Shuler, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO; Anannya Bhattacharjee, international coordinator of Asia Floor Wage Alliance; Maricarmen Molina, general secretary of the Confederación Sindical de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras de El Salvador-CSTS; and Liduvina Magarin, executive director of the Center for Worker and Migrant Integration.
At 6 p.m., Tuesday, City Comptroller Scott Stringer will host a celebration of African immigrant heritage.
Wednesday, September 25
At 8 a.m. Wednesday, The Association for a Better New York and Citizens Union will hold a discussion on this year’s charter revision proposals, with Gail Benjamin and Carl Weisbrod of the 2019 Charter Revision Commission.
The MTA Board will meet on Wednesday.
CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute will host the Urban Food Policy Forum: Putting Food on the Green New Deal menu from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
At the City Council on Wednesday:
--At 10 a.m., the Committee on Finance will meet to discuss the designation of certain organizations to receive funding in the Expense Budget.
--At 10:30 a.m., the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections will hold a hearing with Alana Sivin, NYC Board of Correction’s Transgender, gender nonconforming, non-binary, and intersex Task Force.
--At 1:30 p.m., the full City Council will meet for a Stated Meeting, prefaced by Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s usual pre-stated press conference.
At 5 p.m. Wednesday, this week’s Max & Murphy show will air on WBAI radio, 99.5 FM and wbai.org, and feature conversations on the new MTA capital plan with Nicole Gelinas of City Journal and on fusion voting with a guest to-be-determined.
Thursday, September 26
At the City Council on Thursday:
--At 10 a.m., the Committee on Governmental Operations and the Committee on Land Use will jointly meet to discuss multiple bills related to zoning lots.
--At 10 a.m., the Subcommittee on Capital Budget will hold an oversight hearing on Front-End Planning at the Department of Design and Construction.
--At 10 a.m., the Committee on Technology and the Committee on Small Business will jointly hold an oversight hearing to discuss the expansion of the film industry and its impact, and related legislation.
--At 1 p.m., the Committee on Parks and Recreation will hold an oversight hearing to examine the Park Department’s maintenance practices.
--At 1 p.m., the Committee on Higher Education will meet to tour the New Science Building and STEM initiatives at Lehman College in West Bronx, NY.
At 7 p.m. Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo will join former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as the inaugural speaker of the Christie Institute of Public Policy in partnership with Seton Hall University School of Law.
Friday, September 27
At 10 a.m. Friday, Mayor de Blasio may make his weekly appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show.
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Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? E-mail Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max any time: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please use "For Week Ahead" as email subject).
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by Ben Max
@GothamGazette
